We all have to deal with stress nowadays, and our children are no exception. Especially the teenagers who are expected to perform better in school, do better in extracurricular activities and participate in community services. Teenagers nowadays are also very active on social media, and staying responsive and dealing with the comments of their peers on social media can sometimes get very stressful.
As parents, you are uniquely positioned to make a solid difference and help your teenage kid manage all the stress they are facing. This article has listed a few techniques to help you support your teenage kid in their daily journey to combat and deal with stress. Read on to learn more.
Help Your Teen Understand If Things Are In His Control Or Not
Nowadays, teens get involved in various activities. They can benefit their overall functioning through extracurricular activities; however, sometimes, they can get overwhelmed. This is where you can step in and help your teen to pace themselves. You can aid them in identifying which activities can support their growth.
You have to help them determine if they can take on fewer activities or if they should go for more responsibilities. With your help and proper guidance, they can take on the right activities and responsibilities, taking off unnecessary pressure and freeing up time that can be allocated to other necessary activities.
Come Up With Distractions That Can Help To Destress
You can sit with your teen and brainstorm different ways he can work in stress-relieving, fun activities in his daily life. Find out if he likes to shoot hoops in the backyard, if he likes to paint, does he like playing any particular instrument, or if there are any specific friends he likes to hang out with. By helping him find these things out, you are letting him know that it does not matter how long he does these activities; doing these enjoyable activities will provide him with a great distraction from the stress he faces every day.
Activities such as cycling can be a great way for your teen to get some exercise and stay fit. So encourage him to participate in these activities regularly. Check out reputed e-bike manufacturers such as Specialized bikes if you plan on getting e-bikes for your teen.
Help Them To Get The Basics Back In Place
If your teen is struggling with stress for quite a while; it is likey they participated in some unhealthy habits during this time. As a parent, you can help them return to a better and healthier lifestyle. Developing a consistent bedtime is a part of this as it helps maintain the same sleep routine on weekdays and weekends.
Teach them to exercise consistently but not too close to bedtime. Tell them to put away their handheld devices an hour before bedtime and to eat healthy meals during the day regularly. All these lifestyle habits will help your teen tremendously in handling stress more effectively.
Help Your Teen To Relax if They Are Going Through Stress
Everyone has different ways to relax; relaxation has a different definition for each individual. Your teen may find it comforting to sit and pet his dog for a while without having to deal with any distractions. While for someone else, relaxation might mean closing their eyes and taking deep breaths in total silence.
You must help your teen identify which relaxation method works best for them. Some people find relaxation in prayer or taking a solitary walk. You have to help them find something that quiets their mind in unruffling times. This will help them handle challenging situations later.
Educate Your Teen About “Calm self-talk.”
As a parent, you are in an excellent position to help your teen become more aware of their stressful thoughts and how they can go about rationalizing them. You have to teach them to be able to think stressful situations through and talk through them by coming up with the cause and effect of the situation.
Suppose your teen is running late for an activity, and it is stressing him out a lot. Teach him to talk to himself about what might happen if he reaches late. When he goes over the things in his mind, he might realize that nothing catastrophic will happen if he comes a bit late.
This way, by talking to himself and addressing the matter in his mind, he can effectively calm himself down and destress.
Limit Social Media
Kids now grow up in a far different world than their parents. They face peer pressure even at home due to their electronic devices. Messages, texts, and tags surround them day and night, and there is a pressure to respond instantly. Parents have to set social media-free hours to help their teens deal with social media. Your teen will be free emotionally if they establish these rules for using social media. Also, enforce a rule that social media has to be switched off out at bedtime so that it does not hamper their sleep.
Be Your Teens Role Model
Teens continuously learn from their parents, although most might not want to admit it. So as a parent, you can be an excellent example for them to manage stress more effectively. If you are feeling stressed for some reason and your kid is with you at that time, talk to them about it. Discuss what you are going through with them, and at the end, let them know what you will do to deal with the stress. This way, they will learn directly from your experience how to alleviate stress and practice it themselves when the time comes.
Takeaway
Both parents and teens need to remember that stress can’t be completely eliminated; instead, it plays a crucial part in our lives. Most teens feel stressed when they cannot perform to their full potential. Suppose your kid does not feel much stress; they might get bored and have little motivation to do anything. As a parent, you can support your teen through these tough times and teach them firsthand how to alleviate stress in their lives and manage it effectively. May this start a stronger bond between you and your teen.
